The timing of the cars and the bags and briefcases gave rise to a slew of questions. But BSP leaders said that the cars carried pamphlets for the upcoming assembly election in the state.

Opposition parties claimed that the cars came to return wads of cash given to them for campaigns.

It is worth nothing that BSP supremo Mayawati has on November 10 accused the Modi government of launching an “undeclared financial emergency” in the country. She also criticised the decision of scrapping the notes as being anti-poor.